Show Profile

Growing Your Business Through Acquisitions

Growth Strategy: Acquisitions;Mergers
Industry: Education
Andrew Clark of Bridgepoint Education will be the guest focused on this week’s show. The topic of “Growing Your Business Through Acquisitions” takes a different angle because Bridgepoint acquires universities. They have chosen to take on this long term traditional industry and change the rules with regards to everything from tuition to transferring credits to the structure of the business side of things. And it’s working! Bridgepoint Education is #17 on this year’s Inc. 5,000 list!

Andrew S. Clark founded Bridgepoint Education, a higher education company headquartered in San Diego, California, in 2004.

Bridgepoint Education owns and operates two regionally accredited academic institutions, Ashford University and University of the Rockies. We deliver our programs online, as well as at our traditional campuses located in Clinton, Iowa and Colorado Springs, Colorado, offering Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate degrees.

Before starting Bridgepoint Education with the support of private equity firm Warburg Pincus, Mr. Clark spent 14 years in higher education management. He began his higher education career in 1995 with the University of Phoenix (UoP), a division of Apollo Group. From 1996 to 1999, he served as the youngest Vice President/Campus Director for UoP, producing the best combined enrollment and profit results of any campus in the system. From 1999 to 2001, he was the company's youngest Regional Vice President, responsible for opening the Midwest and Northeast regions, taking one campus from an existing region and creating nine campuses in seven states.

Mr. Clark then served as chief operating officer of American Continental University, a division of Career Education Corporation (CEC), and Vice President, Operations, of the University Division of CEC.

Bridgepoint Education is dedicated to social responsibility and its corporate culture embodies that sentiment. Mr. Clark currently serves on the board of directors of the San Diego Symphony, Francis Parker, and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation. In addition, he has supported organizations such as the American Red Cross, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Clubs, Freedom Station, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Promises2Kids.

Mr. Clark earned a B.A. degree in Communication Arts from Pacific Lutheran University and an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix. He lives in San Diego with his wife and their three daughters.